Mom and I are driving from Andover, MA to New Boston, NH today and we find ourselves on rte 101 and 93 and 293 and 13* and it feels like we’ve spent a lot of time on these particular roads.
We get to Molly's Tavern and Restaurant a little before 6. My buddy Morgan’s band The Incidentals is playing tonight from 7-10 and I’m sitting in with them. Sadly, Jonathan Grant is away tonight so it’s not an actual TheGypsyMechanics reunion but that’s ok. We’ll still have fun.
Molly’s is a great room and a great restaurant. It’s an unusual set up where there are two buildings. One building is the restaurant proper and the second building is the tavern where the band plays. Same menu for both so even better. The band sets up in the corner of the tavern and before we even set up, seating is at a premium.
And I start to see faces I know.
Dee Boutin, Andy and Michelle Lane are the first faces I see and we’re hanging out just waiting for a table and there’s some finagling to get one with enough seats and then I see Morgan’s wife Jennifer and Elle and Steve St. Lawrence. And Jim who I used to work with at Daddy’s Junky Music and then Nick who was the bass player in my first band and then Hill and Keats and then Katherine and Patrick and Dianne Couturier and Willie and Jim and Glenn and Melanie Larson, Yahnee, Robbo… and then a bunch of folks I don’t know are there too. Just folks that I have not seen in years and years.
Morgan told me he put the word out that we were playing together and lots of folks showed up.
Now I’m not egotistical enough to think they are all here for me. The Incidentals have a good following here and they regularly pack this place. Their normal lineup is with Morgan singing and sometimes playing guitar, Pete Smith on acoustic and vocal, Jon on bass and singing and Cameron Thomas on drums and singing.** Tonight I’m taking Jon’s space and playing some guitar and mandolin.
And we play to a packed house all night.
The Incidentals play covers all night. I knew very few of them but I played along or I stayed quiet or I messed up a chord or I went and got a drink and talked to folks. Was a pretty easy gig for me honestly.***
At one point Morgan brings up Glenn and Jimmy and we play a couple Gypsy Mechanics tunes and then there’s other guests doing stuff too. I’m asked to play a couple originals and they go over great.
I’m running out of steam while writing this because it is past 1 am and I’m trying to get it out of my head before I fall asleep and etcha sketch my brain.
Now I got up and down stage a bunch of times. Cam got off his drums a couple of times. Even Pete handed off his guitar and took a breather but Morgan? Nope. He performed from 7-10 with not a single break.
And sometimes I forget what an incredible front man and performer he is. But he’s got that natural gift of gab. He shout outs to everyone in the room. He’s generous with the spotlight and can sing ANYTHING. Seriously, if I didn’t love the guy so much I would hate him for his talent. And even more annoying - he makes it all seem easy.
After the show I talk with as many folks as I can and Steve St.Lawrence even tells me about how he knows my friend Adrian "Ace" Rice in California. It’s one of those it’s-a-small-world moments that still amazes me. We actually talk about how it’d be great to organize a west coast/east coast Americana type weekend of shows/festival type thing. He tells me I have to plan it two years out. But the seed has been planted in my melon.
Thank you to everyone that came out. What an amazing night. And thank you to The Incidentals for letting me crash their party.
OH and I almost forgot, my highlight was watching my mom dance with Morgan’s dad Bob who is, hands down, the best audience dancer I have ever seen. The music moves him in a way that is unlike anyone else. There is no way to describe it, it just has to be experienced.
Goodnight all.
xo
~Bobbo
*Not in that order, that’s just the order I remembered them.
**Matt - you would so dig this - he’s using a cajon kick drum and a tiny little snare and splash hihats.
***I even played the prima donna a little bit. I didn’t set up any PA gear or break it down. Sorry Pete!